Early the next morning, Yang Yuelan went to the grocery store to buy some meat to make dumplings for Luo Yao.

Dumplings are the highest form of hospitality in Jiaodong City. Although it's a bit of a hassle, it's more economical than stir-fries.

When Xu Qingning got up, Yang Yuelan was already sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) making dumplings.

She made Xu Qingning a bowl of shredded pork noodles and kept it warm in the pot. The noodles were made from sorghum flour that Zhao Futang had someone in the village make. After being dried, they turned dark brown and were tied into bundles with thin rope. She brought them about ten pounds of the noodles.

These sorghum noodles are particularly resistant to overcooking and are also quite filling.

Everyone in the village eats this kind of noodles.

This was Xu Qingning's first time eating sorghum noodles. She thought the taste was alright, mainly because Yang Yuelan had added shredded meat and bok choy to the soup. With the soup broth and a little chili sauce, it was very appetizing.

Zhao Futang truly lives up to his reputation as the village's master chef; his chili sauce is exceptionally authentic.

He also brought over a dozen bottles of tomato sauce, saying they were all grown in his own private vegetable garden.

Tomato sauce is made by scalding tomatoes with boiling water, removing the skin, then chopping them, steaming them in a glass jar, sealing the lid tightly, and storing them for at least a year.

Yang Yuelan said that Zhao Jingyu likes to eat tomatoes.

His family planted tomatoes every year and saved some for him every year, but he never ate any of the tomatoes his parents planted.

After dinner, Xu Qingning went to the kang (heated brick bed) to make dumplings with Yang Yuelan. Actually, she wasn't sure if Luo Yao would come.

If she doesn't come, she'll go find Wu Yong and ask him to keep an eye on his niece and prevent Tang Wenya and Chen Meili from leading her astray.

Those two were in cahoots, harboring ill intentions.

Yang Yuelan was thinking about dyeing the cloth, saying that she would dye it after making dumplings and dry it quickly, as she was worried about rain in a couple of days.

Xu Qingning said it wouldn't make a difference if she dyed it one more day; it wouldn't be too late to dye it tomorrow.

As the two were chatting, Liang Yufeng arrived on her bicycle. Upon entering, she saw the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law making dumplings and exclaimed with delight, "Oh dear, did you know I was coming? You made dumplings especially for me!"

"Yes, it's for my aunt." Xu Qingning was also pleasantly surprised to see Liang Yufeng. "Auntie, aren't you going to work today?"

"I'm off today, so I came here to bring you some vegetables." Liang Yufeng said, as she went out and brought in two cucumbers and a bag of eggplants that were tied to the back of her bicycle. "They're from my own garden, and I just picked them this morning."

"You can stay and eat, don't worry about us." Yang Yuelan got off the kang (a heated brick bed), put away the vegetables, and invited Liang Yufeng to sit on the kang. She then busied herself pouring water for her.

"Sister, you don't need to bother. We're all family, no need to be so polite." Liang Yufeng said, turning to go to the yard to wash her hands. She sat down next to Xu Qingning and started making dumplings. She looked at Xu Qingning's belly and exclaimed, "I haven't seen you in so long, you're showing! You're over five months along, aren't you?"

"Yes, it's been more than five months." Xu Qingning also sighed, "Wow, I'm already more than five months pregnant."

"She'll give birth in four months." Yang Yuelan came in carrying a cup of water and handed it to Liang Yufeng. "You and Qingning haven't seen each other in a long time. Go ahead and have a good chat. I can make the dumplings myself."

“Talking won’t stop us from making dumplings.” Liang Yufeng took the water and placed it on the windowsill. She took out a piece of paper from her pocket and showed it to Xu Qingning. “This is the household registration acceptance certificate for Wutong Village. I’ve got it done for you. When is it convenient for you? I’ll have your uncle accompany you to transfer your household registration.”

"It's done so quickly? Thank you, Auntie!" Xu Qingning's eyes lit up. She had already saved up five hundred yuan, and once she transferred her household registration to Wutong Village, she could build a house in their village.

"Why are you being so polite with me?" Liang Yufeng smiled and said to Yang Yuelan, "I only have this one niece. She's like a daughter to me. I'm happy that she's willing to come to me. Then we can be neighbors."

"Qingning is so lucky to have an aunt like you." Yang Yuelan had heard Xu Qingning mention that she wanted to move her household registration to Wutong Village, and since her son had agreed, she, as the mother-in-law, naturally supported it as well.

After all, these three rooms won't be enough when we have children.

Xu Qingning doesn't like to procrastinate. She looked at her watch and it was already past nine o'clock. Thinking that she still had to wait for Luo Yao, she said, "Auntie, it's convenient for me today. Let's take care of this this afternoon."

“Okay, I’ll take the documents back with me and have your uncle handle it for you. If you need anything, just have him come find you.” Liang Yufeng knew that her niece was unwell and her husband wasn’t home, so they would take care of these things if they could.

"Okay," Xu Qingning replied happily.

Luo Yao still hadn't arrived by noon, and Yang Yuelan was getting worried: "She promised to come this morning yesterday, could something have happened?"

"Let's eat first," Xu Qingning said calmly. "I'll have Yaqiang go check on things later."

The Wujiaohua Guesthouse was a bit far from their courtyard, and it wasn't convenient for her to go there because she was heavily pregnant.

Anyway, they've done their duty as hosts, so if Luo Yao doesn't appreciate it, so be it.

Some walls only hurt when you hit them yourself.

Yang Yuelan's dumpling filling is always delicious, the kind that bursts with juice when you bite into it. Xu Qingning loves eating the dumplings she makes.

Liang Yufeng had never eaten such delicious dumplings before, and kept asking her how they were made.

Yang Yuelan also learned from Zhao Futang, and he enthusiastically taught her: "Actually, there is no trick to it. Just add the scallion and ginger water to the minced meat and stir it over and over until the minced meat absorbs it."

"No wonder Qingning has gained weight, it's all thanks to your good care of her as her mother-in-law." Liang Yufeng knew that Yang Yuelan treated Xu Qingning very well, but she didn't expect Yang Yuelan to cook so well. She said with relief, "Ah, our Qingning has found the right family to marry into. As long as she is doing well, I am at ease."

“It’s rare for our family to have such a good daughter-in-law as Qingning.” Yang Yuelan never let such words fall to the ground, and said with a smile, “Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, a good mother-in-law comes first, then a good daughter-in-law. It’s because she doesn’t look down on me.”

Liang Yufeng felt very pleased with these words and said to Xu Qingning, "Did you hear that? You have a reasonable and good mother-in-law. You should treat her well in the future."

"From now on, I will not only be good to my mother-in-law, but also to my aunt." Xu Qingning smiled. "I will be good to whoever is good to me."

Yang Yuelan and Liang Yufeng smiled simultaneously.

Based on just that one sentence she said, they would treat her even better.

With Liang Yufeng accompanying Xu Qingning on her errands, Yang Yuelan felt at ease and didn't go along.

Liang Yufeng was more cautious. She left her bicycle in the yard and said she could walk there, but she would have to take Xu Qingning back after she finished her business.

She dared not take Xu Qingning on her bicycle; it would be troublesome if she fell again.

The two had just left when Luo Yao arrived. Seeing Yang Yuelan alone at home, she felt inexplicably wronged. She called out "Auntie" and tears began to fall.

"Luo Yao, what's wrong?" Yang Yuelan was startled.

First update.